Christian Encarnacion-Strand (finally) gets the call ... sprint to the waiver wire
The Cincinnati Reds have pulled yet another potential star from the organization's deep reservoir of talent. Christian Encarnacion-Strand finally earned a promotion — a few weeks later than we expected — and he should be immediately installed in the heart of an already dangerous Reds lineup.
This is an actionable fantasy event, people. If CES remains available in your league (currently 39% rostered in Yahoo leagues), go get him. He has a real chance to be a difference-maker across four hitting categories. His power upside is substantial:
CES = Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Or, Clobbers almost Entirely out of Stadium.
A 471-ft. tater from the sixth-ranked @Reds prospect ties the @LouisvilleBats slugger for the second longest Triple-A homer this year: pic.twitter.com/TPH7cboqbA— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 12, 2023
Encarnacion-Strand has been a terror at Triple-A Louisville this season, slashing .331/.405/.637 with 20 homers among his 43 extra-base hits. He has driven in 62 runs and scored 65 while making defensive appearances at first, third and both corner-outfield spots. Last year, he hit 32 bombs and produced a .955 OPS at three minor-league stops. The 23-year-old has delivered five straight multihit games, so he has been scorching hot over the past week.
It shouldn't be too difficult for Cincinnati to find daily opportunities for CES, as two of the lightest-hitting spots in this team's lineup all season have been DH and right field. The Reds were swept by the Brewers in their first series following the All-Star break, and they managed only three runs along the way. Encarnacion-Strand should provide a significant power boost, both for his real-life team and for your fantasy squad.
